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Gerry Fernandez Nearly everyone who knows Gerald “Gerry” A. Fernandez and the work that he does for The Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance (MFHA), describes him as a man of vision, dedication, and passion. As President and Founder of MFHA, a non-profit organization that promotes cultural intelligence in the workplace, Gerry has been recognized repeatedly over the years for his work in educating Members on, and advocating for, the business benefits of cultural diversity and inclusion in the food service and hospitality industry. With over 35 years of experience in the industry, Gerry has held leadership positions with several well-known companies including The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Hemenway’s Seafood Grill & Oyster Bar, The Capital Grille and General Mills, where he got his start in diversity and inclusion work.Gerry’s career-altering moment happened while still employed as a National Account Manager for General Mills. He saw an ad for the 1995 Women’s Foodservice Forum (WFF) Conference. After a brief conversation with a WFF contact, he was convinced to attend. It was at the conference that the idea for MFHA came to him. “I thought, if there is a need for a women’s group to promote opportunities for women, then there ought to be a group to promote opportunities for minorities,” he shares. MFHA was the first organization to bring about a national discussion on diversity management in the hospitality industry just a year later.